DOE Announces $22M Award to ASPIRE & Partners to ‘Supercharge’ Utah’s Status as Regional Electrification Hub

The Falcon truck (pictured above), was developed by Kenworth and is the first battery-electric semi that can be charged using ASPIRE’s groundbreaking 1 MW wireless charger, seen charging at ASPIRE’s Electric Vehicle & Roadway (EVR) research facility in Logan, Utah. A second charger is being built at the Utah Inland Port, near the Union Pacific hub.

The Department of Energy announced today ASPIRE’s $44 million SUPERCHARGE project will receive $22 million in DOE funding and $15 million in industry and utility investment, with additional support from the state of Utah and university partners. 

SUPERCHARGE allows ASPIRE — a National Science Foundation-funded engineering research center headquartered at Utah State University — to lead efforts to design and build the state’s first dedicated charging station for Medium- and Heavy-Duty (MHD) truck operations. 

According to the project’s principal investigator, Dustin Maughan, Utah is uniquely positioned to lead these efforts in increasing adoption of electric MHD vehicles, thanks in large part to ASPIRE’s expertise, like the development of the 1-Megawatt wireless charger, housed at the center’s Electric Vehicle & Roadway (EVR) research facility in Logan.

“ASPIRE’s teams have a track record of demonstrating the progression from fundamental research to viable and innovative technological advancements, and this is the next step in our efforts related to electrified transportation planning. We are grateful for the support of our partners, both in and out of the SUPERCHARGE project,” said Maughan.

The site will serve as a living testbed for an intelligent electrified system, added ASPIRE Director Regan Zane.

“This project will demonstrate the business model and economic viability for charging-as-a-service and fleet electrification in the state of Utah,” Zane said. “Together with our project partners, we will be proving that these solutions are scalable beyond government incentives and have strong industry support.”

The SUPERCHARGE site is planned to support regional freight, powering up to 9 MW of concurrent charging and 12 MW of installed high-powered EV charger capacity. The site’s managed solutions will maintain power draw to less than 4.5 MW from the grid. 

This will be achieved using advanced energy and fleet management tools along with cost-effective design that integrates existing charging infrastructure and future-looking MW-class charging.

“The vision of this project highlights the innovation happening in Utah and underscores the importance of scalable, future-proof infrastructure to support the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles,” says Brett Hauser, Chairman and CEO of Voltera. “Today’s announcement highlights how investments in key regional hubs like this one in Utah are driving the nationwide expansion of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle electrification, creating opportunities for adoption across the country.”

The SUPERCHARGE site in Salt Lake City will resemble this facility and be operated by Voltera. Photo courtesy PACCAR Inc.

This nationally recognized project will be powered by a robust combination of public-private partnerships, including: 

  • Voltera: Strengthens the team with its expertise developing and managing high-performance infrastructure for commercial fleets and will lead efforts with ASPIRE on charging site development, installation, and operation. 
  • ASPIRE’s teams at Utah State University & Purdue University: Advancing technology for plug-in and wireless charging systems to increase options of charging and leading planning efforts.
  • PACCAR Inc. (Kenworth & Peterbilt): As a global technology leader in the design, manufacturing and customer support of premium zero-emissions vehicles, PACCAR is progressing truck technologies for more efficient energy use and cleaner drayage movement around ports. 
  • Eaton: Enhances the team with their expertise by leading the design of the site’s distribution network designs and controls.  
  • PacifiCorp: Extending expertise as the region’s largest utility provider related to systems integration, EV Infrastructure development, and cybersecurity.  
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): Providing cutting-edge resources for medium-voltage design, testing, cybersecurity analysis, and infrastructure guidelines.
  • With additional support from fleet operators, including UPS and Pilot-Flying J, and as well as others from ASPIRE’s network of fleet operators.

Building on efforts in Utah related to the National Zero-Emission Freight (ZEF) Corridor Strategy, SUPERCHARGE cements Salt Lake City as an electrification hub along key trucking routes and leverages technological advancements as a model for other states developing similar hubs, including efforts with ASPIRE’s Purdue team.

This was one of three projects awarded funding from the Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) on behalf of the DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office as part of the SuperTruck program. More on the award can be found here.

More about ASPIRE:

Headquartered at Utah State University, ASPIRE is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. ASPIRE has demonstrated expertise in developing, implementing, and managing a range of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects and fostering strong partnerships across the EV charging ecosystem. The center integrates multidisciplinary expertise across electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering, as well as economics, marketing, and policy. In 2023, ASPIRE was designated the lead institution in building Utah’s Intelligent Electrified Transportation Plan. More on Utah’s electrification efforts can be found at utahelectrification.com.

Contacts:

Dustin Maughan
Director of Operations, SUPERCHARGE Principal Investigator,
ASPIRE

Regan Zane
Center Director,
ASPIRE

Anca Matcovschi
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
ASPIRE

Writer:

Kat Webb
Content Director, Marketing & Communications
ASPIRE